Legislative Update - May 3, 2024

Governor Ron DeSantis continues to travel the state holding press conferences and signing legislation. He even held a press conference for legislation he has not received from the legislature! Florida's new law relating to abortion took effect this week. Amid criticism of Florida’s six-week abortion ban, state health regulators issued emergency rules Thursday clarifying what medical conditions qualify for exceptions under the new law. Several universities in the state are dealing with pro-Palestinian protests.

Florida's law prohibiting most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy officially went into effect on Wednesday. The Florida Supreme Court last month ruled 6-1 to uphold another law banning early abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, triggering the six-week ban put into law last year. The 15-week ban, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022, had been enforced while it was challenged in court. The six-week ban, passed by the Legislature a year later, was written so that it would not take effect until a month after the 2022 law was upheld. Associated Press / LobbyTools Abortion Policy Brief

Governor ...

“Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis meet privately in Florida” via Josh Dawsey of The Washington Post — Trump and DeSantis met privately Sunday morning in Miami, according to people familiar with the matter, breaking a yearslong chill between the presumptive Republican nominee and his onetime chief primary rival. Allies brokered the meeting in hopes of a potential detente between the two men, and Trump’s advisers hope DeSantis will tap his donor network to help raise significant sums of money for the General Election, the people familiar with the matter said. Like others interviewed for this story, the people spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private deliberations. The pair met for several hours and DeSantis agreed to help Trump. The meeting was friendly. People close to DeSantis have said it is untenable for him to continue to have a strained relationship with Trump, particularly as he eyes his political future.

“Special Session? DeSantis talks additional amendments, tougher immigration law” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Regarding the addition of potential constitutional amendments to clog the ballot and blunt the popular appeal of measures that would legalize abortion up until the point of viability and allow for non-medical adult use of cannabis, DeSantis is coy. “That would be news to me if that were to happen in terms of any other amendments being added to the ballot. But, you know, there may be people in the Legislature talking, it’s not coming from me if that’s the case.” Meanwhile, DeSantis is again advocating for legislation like Texas’ SB 4, which is still in the courts. “Given what’s happened, the states, we need to do whatever we can to be able to protect against (illegal immigration),” DeSantis said.

DeSantis Signs Teacher Training Bill Meant to Avoid 'Distorted' and 'Ideological' Ideas - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed legislation (HB 1291) aimed at removing from teacher training curriculum any ideas that he and other Republicans see as part of an indoctrination plan boosting "woke" liberal ideas about identity or diversity, including any curriculum that might "distort significant historical events or include a curriculum or instruction that teaches identity politics." Teacher training curriculum "based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities," is also barred under the new law. The new law adds on to a 2023 policy aimed at removing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts curriculum from teacher education programs at state universities, colleges and school districts. "We don't want these teacher-preparation programs to become captive to some political agenda,'" DeSantis said during a bill-signing event in Jacksonville. “There’s not going to be (diversity, equity and inclusion), there’s not going to be any of the bogus history, it’s just going to be standard teacher preparation without having an ideological agenda.” News Service Florida / Politico Pro / Florida's Voice / Spectrum News / DeSantis News Release

Gov OKs Consumer Protection Bill Backed by CFO - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed a consumer protection bill that allows customers to back out of some roofing contracts among other protections. The measure (HB 939), backed by Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and set to take effect July 1, allows homeowners to cancel roofing contracts within ten days of signing during a state of emergency caused by a hurricane or storm. The bill also mandates that third-party settlement organizations, such as PayPal or Apple Pay, must establish a process for senders to identify transactions involving a payee with a Florida address, with the information reported to the state, among other things. Initially, the legislation aimed to prevent local governments from using NewsGuard – a media-rating company – to evaluate news outlets, a process Patronis claimed to largely blacklist conservative or alternative news outlets. But that provision was removed from the proposal in the final days of the annual session held earlier this year. DeSantis Press Release / Transmittal Letter / LobbyTools Gov Activity

Gov Gets Wind Turbine Ban - Legislation (HB 1645) to ban offshore wind turbines in state waters and onshore near the coast was formally sent by the Legislature to Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday. Both clean energy advocates and backers of the ban say the wind power industry isn't viable in Florida on a large scale because it's not windy enough and power companies haven't sought to produce wind energy here – and so it doesn't make sense to allow turbines. The measure prohibits the construction or expansion of offshore wind energy facilities and certain wind turbines on property within a mile of the state's coastline or intracoastal waterways or in offshore state waters. The DeSantis Administration pushed for the bill. The Sierra Club has called for the governor to veto the measure. The wind turbine provision is one part of a broad energy bill that would make several updates to the state's energy policy. It also requires the Public Service Commission to develop an assessment of the security and resiliency of the state's electric grid and natural gas facilities against physical and cyber threats. The bill also would officially authorize the PSC to approve voluntary electric vehicle charging programs by publicly owned electric utilities. The measure also would require rural electric cooperatives and municipal electric utilities to have at least one mutual aid agreement with another electric utility for help in restoring power after a natural disaster, and allow short natural gas pipelines – those under 100 miles long – to be built without certification under the Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline Siting Act, among several other energy-related items. EOG Press Release / LobbyTools Governor's Activity Page

A Department of Agriculture bill (SB 1084) formally sent Tuesday by the Legislature to Gov. Ron DeSantis includes a provision that would prohibit local governments from putting regulations on electric vehicle charging stations, preempting such rules to the state. The ban would include those requiring that businesses with such charging stations have a certain number of chargers, for example, or put them in a certain part of their lots. 

Gov Touts 'Freedom Summer' Savings for Florida Families - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday announced his support for the one-month "Freedom Summer" sales tax holiday, as part of the Legislature's annual tax package (HB 7073) and included in the 2024-25 state spending plan (HB 5001). "Florida is stepping up to make summer more affordable for families," said the governor. The "Freedom Summer" sales tax holiday is scheduled to run for the entire month of July. Recreational items, such as sporting goods, tickets to live events, movies, boating supplies, camping supplies, bikes, grills, surfboards and sunscreen will not be subject to Florida's 6% sales tax during the "Freedom Month" sales tax holiday, projecting to save consumers around $90.4 million. Last summer, the sales tax holiday ran for three months, from May 29, 2023, to Sept. 4, 2023. Additionally, DeSantis unveiled this week that admission fees for all visitors to Florida's 175 State Parks for Memorial Day weekend, from May 24 through 27, 2024, will be waived "to kick off the summer with savings for families." DeSantis Press Release / WJXT / Florida Channel (Video)

Legislature ...

If Florida votes for abortion, marijuana, will lawmakers abide? Florida’s lawmakers have a history of watering down amendments they disapprove of. Even if an amendment is approved, lawmakers can pass legislation to enact it in ways that voters, or groups that pushed to get it on the ballot, didn’t anticipate. There are recent examples of legislators doing just that. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Abortion Effort Could Include Special Session - Republican lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis are considering a possible special session that could include efforts to blunt the impact of the ballot initiative on abortion, though few specific details on the idea have emerged. "We'll be getting involved in different ways," Gov. Ron DeSantis said this week when asked about the abortion rights amendment and another ballot initiative he opposes that would allow non-medical use of marijuana. Also under discussion, according to a post on X by Florida Politics editor Peter Schorsch, is possible immigration legislation. USA Today Network

Business ...

“Weekly first-time jobless filings drop in Florida” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — The number of Florida unemployment claims dropped in the third week of April. There were 6,068 initial unemployment claims filed for the week ending April 20 in the Sunshine State. That’s down 147 over the previous week when there were 6,215 jobless claims in Florida. For the week ending April 20, Florida followed the national trend of decreasing first-time unemployment claims, with 207,000 first-time unemployment claims filed across the U.S. That was a decrease of about 5,000 filings from the previous week. There were 213,250 first-time unemployment claims nationally over the past four weeks, down about 1,250 per week, according to the Labor Department.

“Florida gas prices slightly lower than last week” via Florida Politics — Florida gas prices fell 16 cents last week before rebounding 9 cents over the weekend, settling at $3.57 per gallon by Sunday. That price point was 1 cent less than a week prior and just 9 cents shy of the Sunshine State’s 2024 high. Recent price hikes are due to volatility in the oil market, according to AAA representative Mark Jenkins, who cited geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran and OPEC’s decision to extend production cuts as key factors. The current price is still 28 cents less than the 2023 high and 10 cents less than this time last year.

Florida electric bills skyrocketed recently. Here’s why. Two decades ago, natural gas surpassed coal as the No. 1 fuel burned to create electricity in Florida, and its use has taken off since. Now 74% of the state’s electricity is generated from natural gas — nearly twice the national average. As a result, Florida produces less electricity from coal and renewable sources than many other states. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

EDR: General Revenue Up for March, Seminole Gaming Down - The Office of Economic and Demographic Research reported that state general revenue tax collections in March exceeded expectations by nearly 5%, or $176.2 million. The boost in revenue was driven primarily by three income sources, with sales tax coming in at $60.9 million, or 2.1%, higher than the initial estimate. Three of the six sales tax components were over the estimate for the month, including tourism and automobiles. However, for Indian Gaming revenues, the March revenue share payment for February activity was $51.9 million, which was lower by $4.1 million, or 7.3%, than the previous projection. March collections largely reflect spending activity that occurred in February. EDR Monthly Report / EDR Detailed Report / News Service Florida 

Teachers' Union: Florida Ranks 50th in Teacher Pay - The Florida Education Association, the state's largest teacher union, said that Florida recently dropped from 48th to 50th among states and Washington D.C. in teacher pay, with only West Virginia ranked lower, according to new rankings released Tuesday by the National Education Association. While Florida's starting teacher salary ranks 16th nationally at $47,178, overall average teacher pay in the state remains below the national average of $53,100, with experienced teachers earning only slightly more than new hires. "Once again, despite a thriving economy, Florida is failing to prioritize the needs of students by not fairly compensating teachers and staff," said FEA President Andrew Spar. The report notes that on a national level, teacher salary increases have not kept pace with inflation over the past decade. Although Florida lawmakers have invested over $4 billion to raise educators' salaries since 2020 and have been implementing new pathways to enable teachers to enter classrooms, the FEA and state officials have clashed when it comes to education and teacher data. The Department of Education reported last August that teacher vacancies had decreased by 10% compared to the previous year, but FEA leaders argued that teacher vacancies are at a record high. Florida Politics 

A group of newspapers, including the Orlando Sentinel and the Chicago Tribune, filed a lawsuit this week against Microsoft and OpenAI, alleging the companies illegally used millions of copyrighted articles to develop advanced artificial intelligence products like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft's Copilot. The lawsuit claims that by using news content without compensation, the tech firms undermine the news industry's business model. The dispute centers on whether the use of copyrighted material for training AI qualifies as fair use, with the newspapers arguing that verbatim reproductions of their articles in AI-generated outputs exceed permissible limits. Microsoft and OpenAI have defended their practices, but the outcome of the legal challenge could have significant implications for AI development and copyright law. Mercury News

Study: Four Fla Cities in Top Seven Worst Places for Drivers in US - Four Florida cities, Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando and Miami, were identified among the worst ten places for drivers in the U.S. according to a recent study by Clever real estate data company. Jacksonville was ranked the worst, followed closely by Tampa in second place. Orlando and Miami were named the fifth and seventh worst cities for drivers, respectively. The study assessed factors such as fatal accidents, DUI charges, speeding violations and other traffic infractions across the 50 largest metro areas in the country. Jacksonville was highlighted for having the highest rate of alcohol-related fatalities and a high number of fatal accidents compared to the national average. Tampa was criticized for a high number of fatal collisions involving cyclists. The study corroborates earlier findings, with Forbes also identifying Tampa and Jacksonville among the cities with the worst drivers earlier in the year. On the contrary, New York City was recognized for having the best drivers among the nation's major metro areas, followed by Boston and Minneapolis. Florida Politics

Campaigns & Elections ...

Dems and GOP Both Meet in Orlando This Weekend - Florida Democrats are expecting 1,000 party members to attend their “Leadership Blue” fundraiser at the Disney Contemporary Resort in Orlando this weekend. The keynote speaker for the gala event is Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Florida Republicans are hosting their quarterly meeting this weekend also in Orlando, at the Rosen Centre Hotel. Among the items on the agenda for the GOP meeting is a vote on whether the party should take a public stance on a proposed ballot initiative to legalize non-medical use of marijuana. Politico Playbook / FPD Press Release

Not Democrats, not Republicans. Who are Florida’s independent voters? There's a growing trend in Florida. Both Democrats and Republicans have lost hundreds of thousands of voters who have decided to become unaffiliated with either party. The moves signal a disenchantment with traditional parties, as well as a potential shift toward more moderate politics and away from extreme partisanship, according to interviews with political science experts and voters. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

“Miami-Dade Democrats tap state Sen. Shevrin Jones to lead struggling party” via Max Greenwood of the Miami Herald — Jones’ victory over three other candidates — Biscayne Gardens Chamber of Commerce President Bernard Jennings, Miami-Dade College Democrats President Manuel Fernandez and Miami-Dade Progressive Caucus’s Angel Montalvo — caps off a chaotic month for the Miami-Dade Democratic Party that saw now-former Chair Robert Dempster booted out of his job and a tumultuous race to succeed him. In choosing Jones to lead the party, Miami-Dade Democrats opted for a well-liked and well-connected politician who was widely seen as the favorite candidate of state party leaders. Jones’ term will run through December when the party is set to hold its regular election for Chair. Yet the job is likely to be far from glamorous.

“Trump maintains lead over Joe Biden in 2024 matchup as views on their presidencies diverge” via Jennifer Agiesta of CNN — Trump continues to hold an advantage over Biden as the campaign — and Trump’s criminal trial — move forward. Trump’s support in the poll among registered voters holds steady at 49% in a head-to-head matchup against Biden, the same as a poll on the race in January, while Biden’s stands at 43%, not significantly different from January’s 45%. Looking back, 55% of all Americans now say they see Trump’s presidency as a success, while 44% see it as a failure. In a January 2021 poll taken just before Trump left office and days after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, 55% considered his time as President a failure.

“Trump called Florida ‘in play,’ says he’d rather be campaigning here” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Trump asserted the trial was intentionally keeping him off the campaign trail. “I’m going to go into the icebox now and sit for about eight hours or nine hours,” Trump told reporters. “I would much rather be in Georgia. I’d much rather be in Florida. I much rather be in states that are in play, states that I’d like to be able to campaign in.” Trump was maintaining an assertion the current New York trial, where he was just held in contempt for violating a gag order and fined, that his prosecution is effectively election interference. But Florida Democratic Party Chair Fried pounced on the comments as confirmation that Florida remains a battleground state. “Wow, for the first time and I am sure the last, Trump said something I agree with,” she posted on X, specifically endorsing that Florida is in play in 2024.

“Can Donald Trump pick a Vice President from Florida?” via Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times — Trump has not picked a running mate in 2024. Over the weekend, DeSantis met with Trump in South Florida. These two facts are not related. DeSantis has said he has no interest in being Trump’s Vice President. The weekend meeting was about the two men mending fences after a bruising Republican presidential primary. But there are Florida men reportedly in the mix to be Trump’s VP pick. Trump currently resides in Florida, just like Sen. Marco Rubio and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds — whose names have been floated at some point as potential VP picks. This doesn’t mean Trump is precluded from picking a Florida running mate. But in the event of a close Trump victory, it would make things uncomfortable for the American political system.

”Real estate agent to Primary Kat Cammack, while a familiar Democrat awaits in November” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics

“Bill Posey retiring from Congress; backs former Senate President Mike Haridopolos as successor” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The surprise late entry came after Posey, a Rockledge Republican, already qualified by petition to seek re-election. But Posey, shortly after Florida’s federal qualification deadline, announced he would suspend his campaign and endorse Haridopolos. Shortly afterward, Haridopolos officially announced his campaign. “I wish to thank our incredible Congressman Bill Posey for his faithful service to our community, state and nation,” Haridopolos said. “I will work every day to live up to his legacy of service and serve the people of District 8 with integrity and honor.” Haridopolos laid out an agenda critical of Biden’s record while proclaiming his support for Trump to return to the White House.

“Matt Gaetz Primary challenger Aaron Dimmock tied to Kevin McCarthy” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Shortly before the April 26 qualifying deadline in Florida, Dimmock, a last-minute candidate, paid his $10,440 fee to appear on the GOP Primary ballot in Florida’s 1st Congressional District.

Former Senate Presidents Back Don Gaetz - Eight former Florida Senate Presidents signed on to a joint endorsement of state Senate District 1 candidate Don Gaetz, calling him "the highly effective leader the Senate needs now." Gaetz, who served as Senate president from 2012 to 2014, is running to return to the chamber to represent Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties, and part of Okaloosa County in the Panhandle. Former Senate Presidents Tom Lee, Ken Pruitt, Jeff Atwater, Mike Haridopolos, Andy Gardiner, Joe Negron, Bill Galvano and Wilton Simpson – all of whom served terms that overlapped with Gaetz's tenure in the Legislature – announced their support for him in a letter on Wednesday. They highlighted his achievements, such as securing $1.5 billion from the Deepwater Horizon settlement for job creation and advocating against tolls on critical infrastructure projects. The former state lawmaker is seeking to replace term-limited Republican Sen. Doug Broxson in the November election. Gaetz, who is also the father of Congressman Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, is currently the sole candidate in the race. Gaetz Endorsement Letter / Florida Politics

Orlando Democrat Sen. Linda Stewart, who is unable to seek reelection due to term limits, announced her candidacy for Orange County Commission District 3 on Wednesday. She faces incumbent Mayra Uribe and candidates Delila Smalley and Gus Martinez. Stewart previously served on the Commission in 2002 before serving in the state Legislature. "Some of my most rewarding times as an elected official came from my service at the local level, and there is nothing quite like the direct day-to-day involvement in your community," said Stewart in a press release announcing her campaign. "I hope to continue my success here in Orange County and continue to work with the State on issues to make sure our voices are heard." Orange County Commission District 3 encompasses southern and eastern Orlando, extending to Orlando International Airport and Valencia College's campus. 

“If Florida votes for abortion, marijuana, will lawmakers abide?” via Romy Ellenbogen of the Tampa Bay Times — Supporters of a Florida amendment that would protect abortion access have already passed several hurdles, including getting nearly 1 million petitions and a signoff from the state’s conservative Supreme Court. But getting 60% of Florida voters to approve the amendment in November will likely still not be the last challenge. Florida’s lawmakers have a history of watering down amendments they don’t support. And with DeSantis and top Florida lawmakers in opposition to the abortion measure, it’s not out of the question that the Legislature might try. And it’s not the only amendment Florida lawmakers disapprove of; Florida voters in November will also decide if they want recreational marijuana legalized, which DeSantis and others have opposed.

“Do Florida Hispanics support abortion, marijuana amendments?” via Syra Ortiz Blanes and Max Greenwood of The Miami Herald — Democrats are hoping that an explosive debate in Florida over abortion rights will drive fired-up voters to the polls this November, amid a wave of new restrictions that are limiting access to the procedure in the state and across the U.S. But for Florida’s vast and influential Hispanic electorate, it’s not clear if abortion access is going to be the winning issue that Democrats and activists hope it will be.

“Coalition ramps up to create constitutional right to fish and hunt” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The effort to get Florida voters to affirm fishing and hunting rights is ramping up now that it will officially be Amendment 2 in November after just one member of the Florida Senate opposed putting it on the ballot last Session. On Tuesday, “YES ON 2” rolled out a coalition of hunters, anglers and conservationists. The goal is to make the case that these rights are elemental. “Fishing and hunting are a way of life in Florida, and we need to protect it for future generations,” said Yes on 2 Campaign Chair Joshua Kellam, a former Commissioner at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and President/CEO of The Garcia Companies.